S-Class (W140)
The most over-engineered Mercedes-Benz ever built. Double-pane windows, soft-close doors, hydraulic trunk closer, and build quality so extreme that it nearly bankrupted the company. Mercedes acknowledged the W140 was too expensive to produce and deliberately made its successor, the W220, cheaper.
History
The W140 was the car that taught Mercedes-Benz the cost of perfection. Development ran so far over budget that it strained the company's finances. The engineering team was given virtually no cost constraints, and they took full advantage.
Double-pane side windows eliminated wind noise at any speed. Electric soft-close doors pulled each door shut with a precise, quiet mechanism. Retractable rear markers on the trunk helped drivers judge the car's size when parking. The V12 S600 used the M120 engine producing 408 PS.
The W140 weighed over 2,250 kg in V12 form. It was enormous, overbuilt, and magnificent. But it was also too expensive for Mercedes to sustain. The W220 S-Class that replaced it used cheaper materials, simpler engineering, and platform sharing.
406,710 W140s were produced. The car is now recognized as the last Mercedes built without cost compromise. Clean V12 models command EUR 20,000 to EUR 50,000, a fraction of their original price but rising steadily.
Production & Heritage
Value estimates are editorial assessments based on recent auction results and market trends.
Technical Specifications
Engine Details
Performance
Tags
Designed by Bruno Sacco / Olivier Boulay
